MJ CARTOYS & ACC. Newell is the architect NOW OPEN of Durant wrestling Mon-Sat 10-5 SPORTS 11 606 S. 9th UPCOMING EVENTS Jan. 3 Durant Newcomers DurantDemocrat meet at 11 a.m. Thurs- day, Jan. 3 for a lun- cheon at 401 N. Fourth Ave. with hostess LaWanda Lynn and co-hostesses Celeste Justus and Natalia Duval. eekend $ Jan. 12 WDURANTDEMOCRAT.COM SATURDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2018 1.50 The 37th Annual Bennington Young Farmers Barbecue will be Saturday Jan. 12 at the Harold Chitwood Community Center Former teacher faces in Bennington from 5-8 p.m. with a pie, cake and other items Auctioned off starting at 6 p.m. There will be to-go orders. The event will benefit the child porn charges youth of Bennington 4-H and FFA who are participating in the Bryan County Junior Court records show no evidence of local victims Livestock Show. For BY MICHAEL CLEMENTS ing a computer Investigators used ISP infor- Fleeman was caught in an un- more information, [email protected] chat room short- mation to trace the post to a dercover operation involving the call 847-2310 Ext 276. ly after midnight home on Crestview Lane in Du- Department of Homeland Secu- The local show will A former Durant teacher on Jan. 29, 2017, rant that Fleeman shared with rity, Tulsa Police Department be Jan. 26 at 11 a.m. at turned himself in at the Bryan and posting four his wife and child. Fleeman was and the Durant Police Depart- the Ag Building. The County Jail on child pornogra- web links to im- questioned after a search of the ment, the Oklahoma Attorney barbecue is sponsored phy charges Wednesday. ages of nude home on May 10 and according to General’s office said in the prob- By Albany Masonic Derek James Fleeman, 30, for- DEREK JAMES prepubescent a probable-cause affidavit, he ad- able-cause affidavit. Lodge #159. merly of Durant, is charged with FLEEMAN children. In mitted to posting the images. Fleeman worked as an as- Ongoing possession of child pornography, some of the pho- Fleeman had his first court ap- sistant band director with the Clothes Closet First distribution of child pornogra- tos, the children pearance by video from the jail Durant Independent School Dis- Baptist Church hosts phy and violation of the Comput- were allegedly depicted engaging Thursday. He was advised of the trict until he resigned last May. a free clothes closet er Crimes Act. He was in the Bry- in sexual acts with adults. Noth- charges against him, his right to Durant school superintendent for anyone in need of an County Jail on $60,000 bond ing in the court records indicates a court-appointed attorney and Duane Merideth said Fleeman clothing. The closet Friday. whether anyone in the photos his bond amount. His next court SEE CHARGES, PAGE 12 features, shoes, coats Fleeman is charged with enter- have been identified. appearance is set for Feb. 14, 2019. and other types of clean, serviceable clothing. The closet is at 217 N. 2nd St. in Durant across from Man killed the church. It is open Property taxes due the second Friday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon. The clos- in ATV et accepts donations from 9 a.m. to noon each Wednesday. accident Child Find is a search for all children with disabilities who are STAFF REPORT not receiving a free, A Bokchito man was killed in an appropriate, public ed- all terrain vehicle crash over the ucation. This applies Christmas holiday, the Oklahoma to children between Highway Patrol said. the ages of birth and The body of 52-year-old John twenty-one years of Thomas was found at approximate- age, who have not yet ly 12:30 p.m. Christmas day on pri- graduated from high vate property three miles west of school. Caddo Public Bokchito. Schools offers full ed- According to OHP, Thomas was ucational opportuni- operating a Honda Rancher ATV ties for all students. If Matt Swearengin | Durant Democrat and traveling down a steep trail you suspect your child The Bryan County Treasurer’s Office has been busy accepting property tax payments and deputy Janice when the vehicle rolled one-quarter may have a disability, Wright is shown looking up a property owner’s information. Monday, Dec. 31 is the final day to pay property time. Thomas was thrown approxi- or know of a child taxes for the year and under state law, taxes become delinquent Jan. 1. Owners may pay one half of the tax mately six feet and pronounced with a disability who and can then pay the remainder by March 31. dead at the scene due to head and is not receiving a free, internal-trunk injuries. appropriate, public OHP said Thomas left the resi- education, please dence at about 9:30 a.m. Dec. 24 and contact Caddo Public his body was discovered the next Schools. day. Big Five Head Start Medical Examiner LeRoy John- is a free child devel- Shutdown could block son responded to the scene and the opment program victim’s body was taken by Brown’s designed to meet the Funeral Service to the Oklahoma needs of 3-and-4 year- Medical Examiner’s Office in Okla- old children. Eligibil- federal aid to farmers homa City. Thomas was not wearing a hel- SEE EVENTS, PAGE 12 BY JULIET LINDERMAN programs, will be put on hold provides food aid and nutri- met, according to OHP Lt. Scott Associated Press beginning next week, and tion counseling for pregnant Hampton’s report. Trooper Tommy won’t start up again until the women, new mothers and Richardson of Troop E and Capt. WASHINGTON (AP) — The government reopens. children, and food distri- Ronnie Hampton of OHP’s Traffic end of 2018 seemed to sig- There is little chance of bution programs on Indian Homicide Investigations Unit as- INDEX nal good things to come for the government shutdown reservations, will continue sisted in the investigation. America’s farmers. Fresh off ending soon. Trump and Con- on a local level, but addition- OBITUARIES, 2 Bryan County EMS and the Phila- the passage of the farm bill, gress are no closer to reach- al federal funding won’t be delphia Volunteer Fire Department COMICS, 4 which reauthorized agricul- ing a deal over his demand provided. School lunch pro- also responded to the accident. PUZZLES/TV, 5 ture, conservation and safety for border wall funding, and grams will continue through The circumstances of the acci- net programs, the USDA last both sides say the impasse February. dent are under investigation by RELIGION, 6 week announced a second could drag well into January. USDA has earmarked OHP. SPORTS, 7 round of direct payments to Although certain vital about $9.5 billion in direct OHP investigated another acci- growers hardest hit by Pres- USDA programs will remain payments for growers of soy- dent Dec. 23 on Highway 70 4.5 miles CLASSIFIEDS, 8 ident Donald Trump’s trade operational in the short term, beans, corn, wheat, sorghum west of Mead. war with China. that could change if the shut- and other commodities most According to the OHP report, BIBLE Then the government shut down lasts for more than a affected by tariffs. The first 50-year-old Glenna Roesler of Du- down. few weeks. round of payments went out rant was driving a car at 11:50 p.m. QUOTE The USDA in a statement The Supplemental Nutri- in September. The deadline to when she traveled left of center and “Come to me, all you issued last week assured tion Assistance Program, sign up for the second round collided head on with a car driv- who are weary and farmers that checks would or food stamps, helps feed of payments is January 15. en by 30-year-old Dawn Blend of continue to go out during the roughly 40 million Ameri- The impact of the shut- burdened, and I will Kingston. first week of the shutdown. cans. According to the USDA, down, which began shortly Roesler was flown by air ambu- give you rest. But direct payments for eligible recipients are guar- before most federal workers lance to Plano Medical Center, Pla- Matthew 11:28 NIV farmers who haven’t certified anteed benefits throughwere scheduled for a holiday no, Texas, where she was admitted production, as well as farm January. Other feeding pro- break, started coming into fo- in stable condition with leg injuries. loans and disaster assistance grams, including WIC, which cus by midweek. Blend was taken by Bryan Coun- ty EMS to AllianceHealth in Durant and also was treated for leg injuries. ISSUE 385 Both drivers wore seat belts, ac- VOLUME 141 EDITOR’S NOTE cording to Trooper Tommy Rich- The Durant Democrat will close at 3 p.m. Monday, Dec. 31, and will be closed ardson’s report. Troopers Mitchell Patten and Colby Murray assisted all day Tuesday, Jan. 1. No paper will be published Thursday, Jan. 3, due to in the investigation. West Bryan the holidays. County Fire-Rescue also responded GRAYSTONE MEDIA GROUP LLC to the crash. 2 • OBITUARIES SATURDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2018 • DURANT DEMOCRAT GENE O. SMITH OR, Ava and Sophie GERTRUDE LAIRD Clint, Scott, and Taylor, Blackwelder of Edmond, GOAD and granddaughter Gene O. Smith, 93 of OK, and two great great Micah. She was preceded Bokchito, OK passed away grandchildren Brinlee May 5, 1923-December in death by her husband on Wednesday, December and Brevyn Brooks both 26, 2018 (Clint) of 59 years, moth- 26, 2018 in Denison, TX. He of Durant, OK, daughter Gertrude was born in er (Ethel Bryson Laird), was born on September in law Gayla Dickson and Wizard Wells Texas to three siblings (Fannie 18, 1925 in Bokchito, OK husband Raymond of Bo- Wesley Purl and Ethel Doak McAvoy, Elda to Sonie Vern and Ruth swell, OK, and numerous Bryson Laird.